Dortmund Reinvented.

We have to be honest; Dortmund is not the prettiest city in the world. At first glance we would love to skip this train station, but we decided to get off the train and spend the day in this formal industrial city. If you look more closely you will notice Dortmund is reinventing itself. Join us on our field trip to Dortmund and decide for yourself if Dortmund is worth a visit.  

Dortmunder U

One of the many views over Dortmund from the Dortmunder U

The famous U's on top of the Dortmunder U

Ask a Dortmunder about the pride of the city and he will name the football club Borussia Dortmund first and right afterwards the Dortmunder U. Located in the heart of Dortmund and characterized by the big golden U's on the roof. Built between 1926 and 1927, it was Dortmund's first high-rise building, owned by the Dortmunder Union Brauerei. The building mainly served as a storage for beer and was part of a larger brewery. The brewery’s production peaked in 1973, when the Union brewed several export beers and produced more than 2 million hectoliters of beer that year. The Union was one of the larger breweries of that time and provided a lot of work in Dortmund. Until the brewery took over the nearby Ritterbrauerei in 1994 and moved the production process to the outskirts of the city. Most buildings of the brewery were demolished, but the 70 meter high tower remained. The building symbolizes the glory years of the Union Brauerei and Dortmund and is visible from all corners of the city. Pure nostalgia and therefore it could not be demolished. After the closing of the complex, it was mainly squatted until 2004 and was the scene of illegal house raves. In 2008 there was decided to completely overhaul the building and it once again fulfils an important social function. The building is now a cultural center. It is designed for the people of Dortmund. There are several floors of exhibitions created by renowned artists as well as local youth and students. There are also large exhibitions in the higher rooms that you can visit at an additional cost. On the roof is a small terrace with a view over Dortmund, you can almost touch the golden U’s. Open daily from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm, on Thursday and Friday until 8:00 pm. For current exhibitions, check the website.

The work of Artist Olaf Eliasson: Der reflectierende Korridor

The Work of Artist Keith Sonnier: Tunnel of fears for Unna

Enlighted in the cellars of Unna

The town of Unna is a stone's throw away from Dortmund and a must visit. Until 1979, Linden brewed beer in the center of Unna. In the '90s, part of the brewery was demolished and room was made for the "ZIB"; a cultural center with library, college and information center. The magic is certainly not in the typical '90s architecture of the building, but lays 10 meters below surface. The former 3000m2 cellars of the brewery have been fully preserved and form a labyrinth of corridors and spaces. Together with a guide you descend 10 meters into the dark to wander for more than a hour and a half through the cellars where the beer was stored until 1979. The rooms and corridors are equipped with light installations created by various international light artists. A large part of the artworks are interactive and it really feels like a unique experience. The Zentrum Für Internationale Lichtkunst is only accessible with a guide and can be visited from Tuesday to Sunday. Admission fee including guide is € 10, - For current tour times, visit the website.

The Jugenstil Architecture of Zeche Zollern

Jugendstil

Not a big fan of modern art? You can also spend your time in Zeche Zollern. Germany's first fully electrically powered coal mine is located just a few kilometers west of Dortmund. The imposing machine building, fully executed in the Jugendstil style, can be admired in all its glory and has been completely renovated. Zeche Zollern can be visited from Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00. Admission fee is 5 euros per person.

Sunset at the blast furnaces

At first glance it looks like a modern residential area located around a lake, which it actually is of course. Realizing that before 2006 this was a gigantic steel factory with a highly polluted soil. It became one of Germany's largest and most expensive real estate projects. The city of Dortmund bought the 98-hectare site south-east of the citycenter from steel manufacturer Thyssen Krupp and began excavating 2.5 million cubic meters of subsoil in 2006. After 4 years of excavation, they flooded the site with water in 2010. Now known as the Phoenix See. A neighborhood located right next to the town of Hörde, characterized by family homes, apartments, offices and catering. The area around the marina of the Phoenix See is very pleasant, there are numerous restaurants with terraces and especially vibrant on the weekends.

The terrace of Brauerei Bergmann, with a view of the old blast furnaces

Dortmund is all about beer and we can’t leave without tasting the city’s finest.  Located close to the Phoenix See, in Phoenix west, is Bergmann's new brewery and here you can enjoy a glass of nostalgia with te locals. Once brewed by the Union Brauerei, the beer has disappeared after the acquisitions. A group of young Dortmunders bought the recipe a few years ago and revived the beer brand. Order the Bergman Export and plop down with a view of the former blast furnaces. The Bergmann Brauerei is open Monday to Thursdays from 4:00 pm to 10:00 pm. During the weekend from 12:00 to 22:00.

Dortmund with the Phoenix See in the foreground

Photo's: © Tim Bilman